The goal of the 2003 Hormonal Carcinogenesis Gordon Research conference is to provide a forum for established and new investigators who are actively involved in the various disciplines of hormonal carcinogenesis to come together to define the leading edges of the field. Topics will focus on current research on major hormone-related human cancers such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer and will include (1) current research on the structure/function of nuclear receptors, receptor-coactivator interactions, and mechanisms of gene activation by hormones in cancers; (2) new developments in hormone biosynthesis and metabolism; roles in carcinogenesis; tumor progression, and/or prevention of cancer; (3) hormonal therapies and cancer risks; genetic determinants of hormone-induced cancers in susceptible populations; (4) identification and understanding of the role of cell signaling pathways in proliferation and apoptosis; (5) genomic and proteomic approaches in hormonal carcinogenesis; (6) appropriate and novel animal models for research in hormones and cancer; (7) basic principles and events of progression from hormone-dependent to hormone-independent malignancies; and (8) new experimental and/or interventional approaches to prevention and treatment of hormone-induced cancers. [unreadable] [unreadable] Emerging areas and late-breaking topics are added to help conferees stay abreast with new opportunities in the field, and poster sessions will enable informal interactions to occur. Because of the multi-disciplinary nature of hormonal carcinogenesis, this conference brings together an unusually diverse collection of investigators and participants, including senior, authoritative investigators as well as new investigators and junior scientists. The overall objective is to stimulate new ideas, discover novel paradigms, share technological advances, promote collaborations and interactions, and recognize historical landmarks of discoveries in this field. The conference will allow participants to be updated on the latest developments in this increasingly complex research area, to recognize the significance of recent accomplishments, to devise and share new strategies for unresolved problems, and to critically evaluate existing theories and develop new hypotheses. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]